Folding dark room.



J. MASKO.

FOLDING DARK ROOM.

APPLICATION FILED 11116.31, 1912.

1,074,373. Patented sept.30,1913.

3 MEETS-SHEET 1.

J. MASKO.

FOLDING DARK ROOM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. a1, 1912.

1,074,373. Patented sept.30,1913.

s slums-SHEET 2.

ATTHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUNJI MASKO, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FOLDING DARK ROOM.

Application filed. August 31, 1912.

To aZZ vwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JUNJI MASKO, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, and a resident of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Dark Rooms, of which the following is a specitication.

My invention is an improvement in folding dark rooms for photographic purposes and has for its obj ect the provision of a de vice, by means of which the development of negatives and printing of prints may be done without the use of a dark room.

It is a fact that the greater portion of the pleasure found in amateur photography is in the development and finishing of ones own work. It is objectionable however, that the said work, or at least a great part of it, .must be done in a dark room, and there are many disagreeable features in the ordinary dark room, such as for instance, lack of ventilation, over-heat, bad odor and the inconvenience of going in and out during the work. Y

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a dark room that may be easily transported, and that will take up but little room when in use, and wherein the worker is outside of the dark room with the exception of his hands, and wherein the hands may be removed when desired, without affecting the work.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device from the rear, Fig. 2 is a central transverse vertical section, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, Fig. 4 is a front view, Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail front view of the connection between the body of the device, Fig. 6 is a vertical section of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the frame.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a casing composed of a front plate 1, a rear frame 2, a bottom 3, a top 4, and ends 5 and 6 respectively. It will be evident that the elements 1 to 6 inclusive may be made of any suitable material, as for instance, metal or wood, and that they may be made of various sizes and dimensions depending upon circumstances.

The front 1 is provided near its lower end with a longitudinally extending ledge 7, the said ledge being spaced above the bottom as shown more particularly in Fig. 2.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

serial No. 718,095.

At the upper edge the said front is also provided with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending ribs S, the said ribs forming a guideway for receiving the adjacent edge of the top 4. The rear frame 2 is also provided with a longitudinal rib 9, at the same level as the rib 7 and the said ribs are adapted to support the bottom 3. The upper edge of the said frame is also provided with spaced longitudinally extending ribs 10, registering with the ribs 8 when the device is set up, and forming a guideway similar to that between the ribs 8 for receiving the top 4.

Each of the ends 5 and 6 is detachably connected to the front 1 and the rear frame 2 in the manner shown more particularly in Fig. 1 and Figs. 5 to 7. The end 5, or 6, as the case may be, is provided at each of its side edges with a plurality of hinge leaves 11, and the front 1 and the rear frame 2 are provided with similar hinge leaves 12, so arranged that when the ends are placed in position, the bearings of the hinge leaves on the ends will register with the bearings of the hinge leaves 12 and will it between the said bearings to receive a rod 13 which passes through all of the bearings at one side of the end.

It will be noted from an inspection of Fig.

V1, that the hinge leaves at each side are arranged in alinement, so that a single rod will pass through al1 the bearings at one side, and each rod is provided with an eye 14, at its upper end for permitting the rod to be withdrawn. The upper end of each of the ends 5 and 6 is provided with spaced longitudinally extending ribs 15, forming guideways for receiving the ends of the top 4, and each of the said ends is also provided at each side edge with a vertically extending groove 16, which is adapted to receive a similarly shaped rib 17 on the front or rear frame, as the case may be. The said rib fitting within the groove 16 prevents the entrance of light between the ends and the front and rear. Each end is also provided with a door opening 18, in which is arranged a door 19. Each door is hinged to the ends as shown at 20, and is provided with a button or knob 21, for convenience in opening the same. The hinges 20 are spring hinges, so that the door will be closed automatically whenever it is released. Each of the ends 5 and 6 is provided with a handle 22 at its top, the said handle in the present instance front of the Window. After the print has been exposed a sufficient length of time, the .vindovv is closed, and the print may be developed in subdued light. The shield 2G is preferably made so that it may be folded down flat on to the top'. After the operator has finished his work, the device may be knocked down and packed in small space. The operation of setting up is preferably conducted as follows: The front l and the rear 2 and one end, for instance, the endG, are first set up, and connected by means of the hinges and the rods. The bottom and the top may now be slid into place after which the end 5 is placed and secured.

lt will be evident that the device is comparatively inexpensive, may be easily set up or knocked down, occupies but little space in either position, and is capable of transportation Whenever desired. All of the disagreeable features of the dark room, such as over heat, and lack of ventilation are removed. The device can be used With either sunlightor artificial light, and guesswork is entirely eliminated since the entire operation of developing and printing is under the inspection of the operator. The device can also be usedfor loading of plate holders and the like. It will be understood that the device may be made of any desired size and of any suitable material. The inside is preferably painted of a dark color and the outside may be of any desired color and may be ornamented if desired.

It will be noted from an inspection of Figs. 5 and 7, that neither the groove 15 ner the rib 17 extend to the top of the end, the said groove and rib stopping short a short distance from the top.

1t is not necessary to entirely out eti the light between the face and the edge of the shield, all that is necessary is that the eye be brought sufficiently near to see. The sleeves need not it the arms closely, and they are made loose to permit the easy insertion and removal of the handle. They may if desired, be folded around the Wrist or the arm or be secured by arm bands. The rib 19 is designed to prevent the sliding of the trays toward the portion of the bottom reserved for the accessories and also for preventing Water passing. 1t will be noticed that the sleeves e5 of the hood are inside the hood. lVith this construction if desired, arm bands may be placed after the hands have been inserted to hold the said sleeves tightly to the arms. The bands may be held in the hand during the insertion of the arms, and may be placed inside the hood.

l. A device of the character speciiied, comprising a case consisting of a front plate and a rear frame, end plates, a top and a bottom, the front and end plates and the rear frame each having a longitudinal guideway at its upper edge, said guideways registering to receive the edges of the top, said front and side plates and rear frame each having a ledge spaced apart from its bottom edge, said ledges registering for receiving the bottom, the rear frame having an imperforate partition extending to the level of the floor and carrying the ledge, means for detachably connecting the side edges of the ends to the front plate and rear frame, a light proof hood of flexible material connected to the rear frame and having an open sleeve at each end for receiving the iands of the operator, a curtain for closing the opening of the rear frame, the top having an opening near its center, a shield inclosing the opening, the upper edge of the shield being shaped to fit the face, said top having a frame below the opening provided With guideways, sheets of material impervious to the actinic rays Within the guideivays, said front having an opening near its center, guideways on the inner face of the front above and belovv the opening, and a plurality of frames slidable in the said guideways, said frames being adapted to hold sheets of imiterial impervious to the actinic rays. Y

2. A device of the character speeiiied, comprising a case consisting of front and end plates and a rear frame, means for detachably connecting the end plates to the front plate and the rear frame, said front and end plates and the rear frame having registering guideivays at their tops, a top plate in the guideways, said front and end plates and the rear frame having registering guideWays spaced apart from their bottom edges, and a bottom in the guidevvays, a hood of light-proof ilexible material connected with the rear frame, said hood having open sleeves for receiving the arms of the operator, and a curtain of flexible material impervious to light arranged at the top of the rear frame and capable of being raised and lowered by the operator to shut off the light from the interior of the case When his hands are not in the sleeve.

8. A device of the character specified, comprising a case consisting of front and end plates, a top and a bottom, and a rear frame, means for detachably connecting the front and end plates and the rear frame, said front and end plates and the rear frame having means for supporting the top and the bottom and a hood of flexible material impervious to light connected With the rear frame and having at each end a sleeve for receiving the arm of the operator, and means for closing the frame when the sleeves are opened.

et. A device of the character specified, comprising a collapsible light proof case, the rear of the case having a longitudinally eX- tending opening, a hood of llexible material impervious to light, connected to the edges of the opening and provided at each end with an open sleeve for r'eceiving the hands of the operator, a spring roller journaled atthe top of the opening and extending longitudinally thereof, a curtain of flexible material impervious to light7 Winding on the roller for closing the opening when the sleeves are not in usej said case having an opening in its top, a cover for the opening, said cover transmitting only the non-actinic rays7 a shield encircling the opening and shaped at its upper edge to fit the face, said case having a door opening at each end, and a door hinged at each opening.

5. A device of the character specied, comprising a collapsible light proof case, the rear of the case having a longitudinally extending opening, a hood of flexible material impervious to light, connected to the edges of the opening and provided at each end with an open sleeve for receiving the hands of the operator7 said case having an opening in its top for permitting the inspection of the interior7 a shield for the opening7 impervious to the actinic rays, said case having a door opening at each end, a door hinged at each opening, said case having an opening in its front, and a plurality7 of guideivays extending loi'igitudinally of the opening, a plurality of frames slidable in the guideways, said guideways being spaced to permit the frames to slide over the opening, and a screen of material in each frame, iinpervious to the actinic rays, and means for closing the opening at the rear of the case, said means being operated from the interior of the case.

A device of the character specified, comprising a collapsible light proof case, the rear oli' the case having a longitudinally extending opening, a hood of flexible material impervious to light, connected to the edges of the opening and provided at cach end with an open sleeve for receiving the hands of the operator, said case having an opening in its top for permitting` the inspection of the interior, a shield for the opening, impervious to actinic rays7 said case having a door opening at each end, a door hinged at each opening, said case having an opening in its front, and a plurality of guideW-ays extending longitudinally of the opening, a plurality ol' frames slidahle in the guideivays, said guideivays heing spaced to permit the frames to slide over the opening, and a screen of material in each frame impervious to the actinic rays.

7. A device of the character specified, comprising a collapsible light proof case having an opening in its top and an opening in its front, each provided With a screen oi" material impervious to the. actinic rays9 said having an opening at its rear, a hood of flexible light proof material connected to the edge of the opening and provided at each end with a sleeve for receiving the hands of the operator, said case having door openings at its ends, and doors closing the openings.

8. A device of the character' specified, comprising a collapsible light proof case having an opening in its top and an opening in its front, each provided with a screen ot material impervious to the actinic rays, said case having a plurality of openings at its rear for the hands or the operator, and means for closing the openings at Will7 said means comprising a spring controlled roller curtain mounted above the opening, and flexible connections bet-Ween the ends of the lower edge of the curtain and the bottom of the case.

JUNJ MASKO.

llfTit-nesses CrrAs. A. ANDnUs, Annisoi; Hoeren.

Cooles of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

